The whole conversation during the CBA negotiations is going to be about a salary cap, and the main reason for that, as many would say, is the Los Angeles Dodgers. The smaller teams and many fans have been using the payroll the Dodgers hold as a reason for the salary cap. But Dodgers manager Dave Roberts thinks that it is all just noise.

“My honest opinion is the majority of takes about the Dodgers couldn’t be more lazy… I do think that the players we acquire, how we play the game every night, getting younger players to assimilate in a star-studded clubhouse, that’s important,” said Dave Roberts while speaking to USA TODAY Sports.

The Dodgers came into the 2026 season with a payroll of $316.6 million, and according to many, that is the reason why the Dodgers are winning games and championships. But Dave Roberts says that is only partially true.

According to him, success comes from good drafting, finding hidden talent, and training their players the right way. And that is the real reason why the Dodgers have 13 consecutive postseason appearances. That is also the reason they have 12 division titles, 5 pennants, and 3 World Series rings.

The Mets prove Roberts’ statement right with every game they play. The New York Mets entered the 2026 season with a payroll higher than that of the Dodgers at $352.2 million. But the season has gone horribly wrong for them. Their offense has fallen short, and the team sits at the bottom of the division with a 26-35 record. At the same time, the Los Angeles Dodgers have a great 39-22 record.

They are winning even though expensive star pitchers like Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow are hurt. And since the Dodgers signed them, they have not given the full output. Snell got a $182 million contract, but has not been able to stay fit throughout the season and has consistently been on the IL. It is the same with Tyler Glasnow. But the Dodgers still won games because players like Justin Wrobleski, Emmet Sheehan, and Ryan Ward stepped up.

It’s funny how quickly things change because, yes, it is a fact that the Dodgers have been criticized over the past few years. But, back in 2011, when the Dodgers filed for bankruptcy, many of the rival fans laughed at them and called the team a joke. But now the Dodgers have a stable management and are seeing consistent success, and that has become a problem. Forget fans, even MLB commissioner Rob Manfred took a shot at the Dodgers.

“Our payroll gap from top to bottom is $446 million. That’s not a fair fight,” he said. And Manfred is right in pointing out that the Dodgers did spend $446 million more on players than the Marlins in 2025.

But that is only part of the story. ESPN reported that the Dodgers paid around $169 million of that total in luxury taxes. This money funded player benefits, retired player pensions, and revenue sharing for rival teams.

Because of this big spending gap, owners recently asked for a strict $245 million limit. The players’ union immediately said no. Union leader Bruce Meyer argued that a limit only protects billionaire owners’ profits and unfairly stops players from making money.

While the two sides fight over future rules, the Dodgers are planning a huge trade. It is a move that might make everyone even angrier.

The Dodgers are the favorites to land Tarik Skubal

Many people thought that the Los Angeles Dodgers’ signing of Kyle Tucker for a $240 million contract ruined baseball. But they are the leaders to sign Tarik Skubal, too. And if the Dodgers actually pull this off, we might actually see an all-out war against the Dodgers.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been linked to Tarik Skubal for months, but the noise is only growing louder with each passing day. The Detroit Tigers entered the season expecting to make the postseason and be major contenders in the postseason. But the Tigers’ season has gone so badly that everything has changed for the team.

With free agency looming after 2026, many believe Detroit must consider moving Tarik Skubal away and get some decent names that could help the team.

That possibility has made the Dodgers the top team to land Tarik Skubal. According to Bob Nightengale, rival executives view LA among four finalists alongside the Yankees, Jays, and Padres. Still, few teams can match the Dodgers’ combination of payroll flexibility and prospect depth. But this move makes sense for LA because the Dodgers are chasing a third straight championship. And injuries have repeatedly troubled the pitching staff despite a strong season.

Insider Blake Harris noted teams can’t expect the players to be healthy throughout the season, and that is all the more reason for the Dodgers to go after Tarik Skubal. And while talking about these rumors to USA TODAY Sports, manager Dave Roberts gave one of the best answers.

“They would go ballistic, but we would have the prospect capital to do that. We are one of the teams that could do that with the Tigers,” said Roberts. And he is right.

A mock trade shows the Dodgers trade away Zyhir Hope and Emil Morales for Tarik Skubal. Hope is ranked second in the prospect list for the Dodgers and is batting at .288 with 9 home runs and 43 RBIs. With the Dodgers already having top outfield talent, trading Hope would be good.

Morales also ranks fifth among the organization’s top prospects. Despite not having the best of times and being far from major league-ready, Morales is considered a top infield prospect.

And with the Tigers looking for offensive players both in the outfield and the infield, this could be a perfect trade for the Dodgers. The rest of the teams might be getting ready to start the lockout early.